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After replying on another thread (where I asked if there was actually a list of countries were DRM removing is legal), I went in search of such a list.
Then I thought of the "home copy". We pay a certain amount of money for every single medium we buy (tapes, CD's, DVD's, HD's, SD's, etc) on top of the product price because of the "home copy".
According to our law, we are allowed to create a few copies (notice the few!) of copyrighted material, provided it's only used for use (either practice, study or personal) by the one that makes the copy or orders the copy made.
Some interresting facts:
* you are only allowed to create a few copies (it's not specified how many a few is)
* you are only allowed to use those copies yourself, for practice, study or personal use
* you are allowed to tell others to make the copy (except for music)
* you don't have to be the legal owner of the material
That last point is interesting, naturally.
Say, I have a friend that has a music CD. I am allowed to borrow that CD from him and make a copy of it (for personal use, naturally).
There are also a few categories where a home copy is not allowed (or only partly so).
You are allowed to make a copy of a computer program, but only if you're the rightful owner (so no copying from a friend)
You are not allowed to make a copy of a construction (what! you're not even allowed to put that building in a copier!)
Books also have a different rule: you are allowed to make a copy, but generally only parts of it. Unless it is out of print and reprints are not longer expected. Naturally, these too are for home use only.
Now, add to this the DRM stripping. According to this law I should be allowed to strip DRM from a music file (I bought it, so, I should be able to make a home copy), but not from books, unless they are out of print.
Law is confusing!
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